


Writer's Block

by kksunflowerbaby



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Barry Allen is The Flash, F/M, Flirting, Happy Ending, Romance, Sweet, The Flash - Freeform, Writing, XReader, writer!reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-18 12:06:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14852450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kksunflowerbaby/pseuds/kksunflowerbaby
Summary: You're a novelist who has just moved to Central City. Struggling to write your novel about a hero, you sit on your balcony and talk aloud to help you think. When an actual hero answers your musings, flirting and writing ensues.





	1. Balcony Beginnings

You huff in annoyance as you tap your favorite pen on your desk, staring at the blank cursor blinking on your laptop. It had been a graduation gift from your parents before you moved to Central City to pursue yours dreams of being a novelist. So far, you were having a bit of trouble getting the vibrant ideas out of your mind and onto the document. 

Your father knew someone in the city, which was part of the reason he and your mother let you move from your hometown. His name is Joe West and was friends with someone who worked for Central City Publishing, your dream job. He had put in a good word for you, and the head of the fiction department was willing to hear a pitch within the next week.

You hadn’t come up with a pitch yet. You wanted something with a hero, a villain, and an amazing plot that would have every reader sitting on the edge of their seat. 

You had everything planned but the words that were supposed to flow easily from your mind to your laptop. You want to write about a hero, but you wanted to understand a hero first. What their motivations were, why they chose that lifestyle, things like that. 

You have been in this position for hours and your back is aching. You stretch, and let out a noise of satisfaction at the sound of your protesting back cracking. Shifting your gaze to the window that lay beside you, you stand from your desk and walk towards your balcony. 

Having saved every cent you could from college, you were proud to say you could pay for your first apartment without the help of your parents. You were independent. You had found a cute two bedroom apartment overlooking the city’s skyline, bright and busy. You had moved in just last week, and still had a few boxes that needed to be unpacked. 

You skirt around the offending boxes as you unlock the door and let yourself out in the chill air. Folding your arms together for warmth, you lean against the wall with your elbows and take in the city. 

“Why won’t the words come?” You ask aloud. This has been one of your best tactics for getting work done when you couldn’t focus. You found years ago that spoken words made for your best thinking. “I know what I want.”

You scan the city, trying to think of things that could help your musings. Bright lights twinkle, reminding you of the time you went to New York with your parents. Plenty of heroes had been written about there.

In Central City, the had The Flash. You didn’t know much about him, but you knew he was a hero. 

“The Flash could probably answer my questions,” you giggle to yourself. “He would know all about what a hero’s motivations are. He could practically write the book.”

You chuckle at your pun, and move your left hand to cup your cheek. A smile lingers on your lips at the thought of an actual hero—

 

“Hello.”  
An undignified shriek escapes your lips as you propel yourself backwards, away from the intruding voice. You land on the chair that sat beside you and still try to move away from the other side of your balcony which is now inhabited by a stranger.

“Oh, God, I’m sorry,” the voice said. It’s a guy, and he’s wearing an all red suit that obscures his face. His voice is weird, too, like it’s being vibrated. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Well, you did,” you snap, embarrassed at your scream. 

“I’m sorry, I just had to wonder why a pretty woman was talking to herself about talking to me,” he chuckles. 

A light blush dusts your cheeks as you realize the man in front of you is The Flash and he just admitted he thinks you’re pretty. He seems to recognize your realization and shrugs good-naturedly. 

“Why were you talking aloud about heroes?” The Flash asks, tilting his head to the side. 

“I’m a writer,” you say nervously. He was a hero, sure, but you were wary about being alone with someone so much stronger—not to mention faster—than you. Your father had raised you to be cautious. “I have to write a pitch, and I’m struggling with a bit of writer’s block.”

“I have a friend who’s a writer,” he says, leaning against the side of the balcony. He seems to notice how wary you are, and maintains a distance that makes you comfortable. “She struggles with that sometimes.”

“I know what I want to write about, but I want to understand the archetype of that character so I can make it the best work I’ve ever written.” You blush again as you realize you may have said too much. Why would The Flash care about your musings?

“What archetype are you focusing on?” 

You’re surprised that he asks you and almost immediately reply, “A hero.”

“I don’t know if I can help with that archetype,” he says humbly. 

“You’re kidding, right?” You smile in slight shock. “You’re the reining hero of this city.  
People talk about how you’ve saved so many people from so many different dangers. You put yourself in danger at the expense of this city so that its people can live in peace and safety. You risk your life every day for them without asking for anything in return! How can that not fit the archetype of a hero?”

Your passionate outburst leaves the speechless, as surprised as you were with the confidence and care you put into your words. 

He is quiet for a minute before nodding. “When you put it like that, I sound like one. I guess I can try to answer any questions you have and help.”

You search your mind for a minute and try to think of what you could ask him. You hold up a finger, signaling you’d only be a minute, and run inside to grab your laptop. When you come back out, The Flash hasn’t moved a muscle. 

 

“I guess I should ask why you do this,” you say, opening a new document and holding your fingers over the keys, waiting patiently .

“I have these…abilities to help people and prevent harm,” he says, obviously choosing his words very carefully. Even though his voice vibrated, perhaps disguising its actual baritone, his words were full of care. A small smile happens upon his face as he continues. “I don’t want people to feel pain.”

“So you’ve felt pain?” The question slips out, and you clap your hand over your mouth. Such an invasive question! You worry that he would simply run away, leaving you alone with your thoughts that weren’t helpful towards your pitch. 

“Yes,” The Flash replies and then stiffens. It seems he didn’t mean to be so honest. “Everyone has, right?”

“True, but most people don’t try to save everyone they can because of the pain they face,” you muse. “You’re very brave to do so.”

You can see his smile under his mask. “What else do you want to know?”

The night continues as you ask more and more questions about his heroics, trying to understand why he does what he does. He answers more and more, adding more and more to his answers as the night passes. You fill pages and pages on your laptop, understanding The Flash with each word. 

When the beginning of dawn begins to show its red streaks through the sky, you pause before asking your next question. The Flash smiles, seeming to read your mind. 

“It’s a bit late,” he comments, a single dimple appearing in his grin. 

“Early,” you correct, slowly shutting your laptop. “I really appreciate this, I can’t believe how much I’ve learned.”

“Helping is what I do,” he chuckles. “I can’t wait to read your book when it gets published.”

“You’d really read it?” You can’t help but smile broadly at the prospect of him sticking his superhuman nose between the pages of your book. 

“Of course,” he says as if its obvious. “I liked talking to you. You’re easy to feel comfortable around.”

You blush for the third time being in his presence, and smile again. You thank him once more before standing, your legs protesting after sitting for so long. 

“I should get back to work,” the Flash remarks hesitantly. “I’ll see you around. I wouldn’t  
mind if you asked me more questions.”

With that, he disappears with a hint of lightening showing that he was ever there at all. You smile brightly and return inside your apartment, plugging in your laptop to charge before collapsing in your bed. You have a bit of a crush on the man you had spent the last couple hours getting to know.

But you didn’t really know him—you knew why he was a hero. You didn’t know his name, his favorite color, or what breakfast he prefers. Sighing, you close your eyes and wait for sleep to claim you. 

It had been days since you had spoken to the hero, and your pitch was perfect. You couldn’t wait for your meeting with the editor, who Joe West had arranged the meeting with just the day before. To thank him for all of his help, you had called him and asked to take him out to coffee. 

Joe had suggested Jitters, the coffeehouse where his daughter worked. It was less than two blocks from your apartment, so you were more than pleased with his idea. You walked down the street, wearing your (favorite color) blouse and black jeans. 

When you reach the cafe, you are pleased to recognize Joe West sitting inside. But he’s not alone, he’s with a man with dark hair. His back is turned to you. You enter the cafe and walk to Joe’s table. 

“Hello, (Name)!” Joe says, his face breaking into a grin. “It’s so good to see you; how long has it been?”

“I think you might have attended a birthday party when I was a kid,” you laugh, happy to see a familiar face. You turn to his companion to introduce yourself. 

“Hello, I’m—” 

You can’t finish your sentence. The man, quite possibly the most handsome person you’ve ever seen, is grinning at you, perhaps a bit more enthusiastically than someone meeting a stranger for the first time. He smiles as if laughing at a funny joke.

“I’m Barry Allen,” he says, holding out his hand. You take it, and notice how warm his hands were. He holds your hand a bit longer than you expected, but you don’t want him to let go. His smile holds only one dimple—just like someone else you know.

No, it can’t be, you think to yourself. 

“(Name) is a writer,” Joe says. “She’s going to give a pitch later today.”

“I bet you’re a great writer,” Barry says, the side of his mouth twitching at a smile. “What is it about? Something heroic?”

It is, you realize. 

“Yes, and I was very fortunate to receive help from someone very special when I needed it,” you say, giving a twitch of your lips. “I wish I could thank him.”

Barry life his chin a bit, his eyes twinkling as they hold contact with yours. 

Joe’s cell rings, causing you two to break away. He stands and gives a quiet apology before stepping out to take it. As he leaves, you take his seat. Feeling confident you knew who you were talking to, you inhale before speaking. 

“How would a hero like to be thanked? What do you think?”

Barry smirks openly now, knowing that you know what his hints had meant. “I would very much like to take you on a date. You can show your thanks by answering any questions I have.”

You reach across the table, towards his hand. “I would like that very much.”


	2. Dinner Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dinner date is full of even more questions and a heroic ending. When your night ends with a kiss, it also ends with a threat.

Chapter Two

Dinner Date

What does one wear on a date with a superhero? 

You have been asking yourself this question for the past serval hours. After meeting Barry—the Flash—at Jitters a couple days ago, he had made the plan to be for Friday night, at 7pm. You had Googled the restaurant he was taking you to: it was one of the best in town. 

You had only a few dresses that you had brought with you from your hometown. You weren’t expecting to have needed one so soon. Running your hands over the material of your favorite dress, you smile. You know this is the perfect dress.

You change quickly, letting the dark fabric cover your body. It is a black dress, scooped to show a respectful amount of cleavage and just long enough to be classy. You like to leave everything up to imagination. 

Glancing at the clock, you realize you only have twenty minutes before Barry shows up. You smile and whisper his name to yourself. “Barry.” 

The name of a superhero. Who called you pretty. And asked you on a date. 

The excitement doubles and butterflies bloom in your stomach. You go to your vanity table and survey the makeup in front of you. Grabbing the biggest brush, you begin with your foundation. The minutes slip away as you apply your makeup, finishing with a swipe of lipstick. The clock clicks and you see that is is 6:58.

You stumble into your high heels, high enough to be sexy but low enough that they’re comfortable to wear. You grab your jacket and throw your phone in your purse. You had just turned towards the door when you hear a knock. 

Smiling once more, you approach the door and open it to a bouquet of flowers. Roses and sunflowers, reminding you of your sunny hometown. The flowers lower, and Barry’s smiling face appears behind them. He’s wearing a suit, which matches the formality of your dress perfectly. 

“You look amazing,” he breathes, subtly looking you up and down in an obvious compliment. He meets your eyes and his smile widens. “I brought these for you.”

“I love them,” you say, taking them from his hand. You gesture for him to come inside as you go towards your kitchen to put the flowers in a vase. “Thank you.”

“How’s the writing going?” Barry asks, his glance lingering on your desk in the living room. It’s cluttered with handwritten notes and your laptop glows with the document of his words. 

“Great, especially with all the help I got,” you nod at him. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.”

“You can tell me as we go to the restaurant,” he chuckles, crossing the apartment to place his hand on the small of your back, leading you towards the door. “I don’t want to be late.”

“I think it would be hard for you to be late,” you giggle. When he laughs heartily, you grin so much it hurts. 

“You’re funny,” he says, opening the front door and pulling you into the hallway. “And beautiful.”

Looking up at him, you can see the truth in his eyes. He means every word. The butterflies in your stomach flap their wings in approval. As you reach the street, you see a man holding a car door open for you. 

“This is Cisco,” Barry introduces him, clapping a friendly hand on his shoulder. 

“One of his best friends,” the man said, clapping Barry back. “I’m practically The Flash’s sidekick.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” you say, shaking his hand. “I’m (Name).”

“I know all about you,” Cisco replies like it’s obvious. Barry blushes and helps you into your seat.

Cisco pulls away from the curb after you and Barry fasten your seatbelts. He easily maneuvers through traffic and before you know it, you’re halfway to the restaurant.

“How long have you been writing?” Barry asks, turning his head to meet your eyes. 

“Ever since I was little,” you reply. “It’s always been like second nature to me.”

“Have you ever had anything published?” His hands are twisting on his lap, like he was a bit nervous. He wasn’t the only one.

“In high school, I was in Journalism. I did it for the first two years of college, too, but I liked the idea of being a novelist better than a journalist,” you explain, thinking of the hours you spent editing the newspapers for your schools. “I think there’s more involved when you create the entire idea, instead of just stating facts.”

“I never thought of it like that,” Barry says slowly, thinking over your words. You like how serious he considers every statement you make about writing. “Is there anything I can read?”

You blush, and squeeze your hands together. You had never shown anyone your personal writing. You felt like it was a piece of you, like it would be like baring your soul to anyone who could read. It was a very private subject for you, even though you had made the pitch successfully to the editor just two days ago. You had been a nervous wreck for hours before and after the meeting. 

“Eventually,” you manage to squeak. 

Barry, thinking he had said something wrong, frowns. You notice this and smile, explaining, “It’s hard for me to share my work because I haven’t published or shared any of my original work yet. Once I do, it will become easier.”

He nods, thankful that it was just your protectiveness over your work that had caused you to clam up. He wanted to know everything there was to know about you, like he had said when he had asked you out. 

“We’re here,” Cisco announces, pulling into the valet lane. He parked so perfectly that you could step out onto the curb easily. Barry was beside you quickly, opening your car door with ease. You take his hand and follow him into the restaurant after waving goodbye to Cisco.

The atmosphere is romantic, with candles and classical music playing in the background. The chandlers are numerous, with twinkling lights cascading all around you. This is one of the nicest places in town, and you’re on a date with a superhero!

After you’ve been seated, you tilt your head to the side and watch Barry. His dimple was in plain view as he smiled at you. 

“I believe there are some questions to be asked,” he says with a dramatic flair. You laugh and nod along, agreeing with him. “Where did you grow up?”

He launches into the questioning headfirst, just like you had done when you inquired about his motivations. By asking the real questions, like why he risked his life every day for strangers, made you feel like you knew him better as a person rather than knowing facts about him. 

After a general all-about-you, he asks deeper questions, such as the best day of your life and why, followed by the worst. You answered the questions honestly and with as much detail as you felt comfortable giving. He smiles and laughs with you, totally enraptured by you. 

The food on your plates are consumed, but the focus remains on you and his inquiries. He asks so many questions that the waiter comes to the table several times, trying to give the check to your table. Barry waves him away every time, asking for more coffee or dessert. 

When you couldn’t eat anymore, he shrugs and finally accepts the check. He doesn’t even let you consider taking out your wallet, and he pays. 

“I’ll get the next one, then,” you say. 

His eyes widen, as does his grin. “So there’s going to be a second date?”

You blush as you realize what you had said, but you still meant it. You had enjoyed your time with the speedster, and very much wanted to spend more time with him. You tell him so and he agrees wholeheartedly. 

When you stand from your table, Barry calls Cisco and says he wants to walk you home. It truly was less than a mile and your shoes weren’t giving you any trouble yet. You take his hand when he offers it and let him guide you home. 

As you walk hand in hand, the conversation turns to more neutral ground instead of you being peppered with questions. Not that you minded. 

“What was the weirdest encounter with someone you have saved?” 

Barry blinks at the question, and then immediately grins. He launches into the story, using his free hand to move through the air with his words. “It was this lady who was being mugged by the Jitters…I had already put the guy in the police station but she didn’t realize that I had. She bopped me on the nose with her purse, thinking I was the robber. I was so stunned that I didn’t even move. She was so apologetic when she realized, but she still said I should have been able to move.”

You laugh along with him as you picture the elderly lady in your head, chastising the hero for not being quick enough. You trail through the streets, walking slowly so you could spend more time with each other. 

Barry, out of nowhere, turns his head to the side. You look at him in alarm, surprised by the sudden movement. 

“We’re being followed,” he murmurs to you, moving his hand from yours and wrapping his arm around you instead. “Stay quiet, as soon as we’re around this corner, I’m going to run us to your apartment.”

Your heart was in your throat and you could only nod along, clutching his arm with terror. You knew you were safe, but you still hated the situation. Barry speeds up the pace, and when you turn the corner, all you can hear is the roar of the wind. 

You felt strong arms under your knees and shoulders, but you can’t help but let out a scream in fear. It’s lost in the wind and suddenly you’re at your front door, still in the hero’s arms. 

“Are you alright?” He asks quietly, looking you over protectively. “I’m sorry, I—”

You cut him off with a nod and he places you down gently. 

He begins to apologize again, but your courage and adrenaline from being in his arms propelled your words forward. “It happens. You protected me, and I can’t thank you enough, for saving me literally this time.”

Barry grins when he hears your words. “So, when should I see you again?” He murmurs, stepping closer. 

“I’m free next Tuesday,” you tell him. You were free tomorrow night, but you did need to get your work done. Not to mention you didn’t want to seem desperate. “My treat this time?”

He nods and slowly—so slowly that you had time to push him away if you wanted to—leans in and presses his lips against yours. Fireworks go off as you kiss him back, wrapping one arm around his neck and placing the other on his chest. 

Before he could deepen the kiss—and oh my god you wanted to deepen the kiss—you pull away, smiling. You peck him once more before retracting yourself from him. He looks dazed, and happy enough to be on cloud nine. You were sure that your expression mirrored his. 

“I will see you on Tuesday,” he breathes, taking a small step back. 

“I can’t wait,” you tell him, leaning against your door. 

He grins once more before speeding away, leaving a single rose in his place. You grasp it and smile, taking it inside to join its brethren. You wash away your makeup and change into pajamas, getting ready for bed. You had talked all night, and it was quite late. You drift to sleep, dreaming about lightning and red masks. 

Unbeknownst to you and Barry, the man who had been following you down the street was able to track the speedster. From a high vantage point, he had seen you and the hero kiss, and how reluctant the young man was to leave your doorstep. He takes note of your address and your name before disappearing into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	3. Purple Peril

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're in danger, and Barry tries to save you but the threat is nothing compared to what you'll both face.

Chapter Three

Purple Peril

When you wake, sunlight is streaming through your window. You touch a finger to your lips as you think of what happened only last night. You’ve had a few boyfriends in the past but none of them ever kissed you like that. Barry was gentle yet aggressive, and you blush as you think of how much you want him to kiss you again. 

You sweep your hair up into a bun as you get ready for the day. Grabbing your laptop from your desk, you settle back in your warm bed and check your emails. You click on the newest one and see it’s from your editor. 

After the pitch, he had agreed to take you on as a novelist! You were super excited and ready for this opportunity. After graduating college, you had been nervous if you would be able to pursue your dream. But thanks to your parents and Joe West, your dream is now coming true. 

The email was short but encouraging. 

_(Name),_

_I loved your pitch. I would like the first three chapters on my desk in two weeks. I look forward to seeing what you’ll create._

Two weeks to come up with three chapters of material. With all of The Flash’s help, it shouldn’t be an issue to try to understand the archetype of your main character. You buckle down with your favorite drink and begin typing. 

The hours pass as you mumble to yourself, running through possible plots and smiling when you think of a great idea. Before you know it, the sun is setting and you want a change of scenery. 

Moving to your balcony, you smile at the memory of when you first met Barry. You can’t believe it was less than a week ago that you had talked to him for hours on end about his heroism. You had learned so much and read over the document once more, looking at the quotes that pop out at you.

I have these powers and the ability to save people…I can’t imagine not using them to help people. 

There’s nothing like the smile of a kid when I keep them from harm…I saved this one kid who accidentally slipped off his second floor balcony. When I caught him, he hugged me and started crying about how much he would miss his mother…I admit I teared up a bit because I lost my mother.

“How’s it going?” 

You jump, thankfully not letting out an embarrassing noise in the process. You clench your hands on your lap as you laugh at The Flash sitting on the opposite end of your balcony. 

“Hi,” you smile, happy to see him again so soon. You take in his hero suit and smile, appreciating how good it looked on him. “How many people have you saved today?”

“Four,” he says, pulling his shoulders back in pride. It wasn’t cocky, but it showed his confidence and how happy he was that he was able to save them. “It was a pretty low number on the day.”

You nod, remembering seeing an article about how crime rates had dropped since his appearance as The Flash. He had done so much for this city. 

“How’s your work?” Barry leans against the edge, making himself more comfortable. “Have you gotten a lot done today?”

“I have, actually,” you say happily. “I have the rough outline for the entire novel but I only have to get three chapters finalized sometime in the next two weeks.”

“That’s amazing,” Barry says, looking happy under his mask. “I can’t wait to hear all about it on Tuesday.”

You blush lightly at the thought of your date coming up in a few days. It’s only Saturday, but you can’t wait for Tuesday. Barry had agreed that it could be your treat (you only believe in fairness and equality) so you have to choose the location of the date. 

“I’m still considered new to Central City,” you admit. “Where should we go?”

Barry absentmindedly nibbles on his lips as he thinks. “What type of date do you want? We could go to the park for a picnic or we could see a movie.”

“I like the picnic idea!” You say, unable to hide your excitement of the idea. Your inner romantic is jumping for joy. 

“Okay, then—” Barry is cut off by some static. He presses his finger to his ear and nods before saying, “I’m on it, Cisco.”

Turning back to you, he smiles apologetically. “Duty calls. I’ll see you on Tuesday!”

The speedster is gone, off to save the world as you let out a happy sigh. As excited as you are for the date, Barry seems to match your level. You settle back in the chair and continue typing before retiring to your apartment for dinner.You enjoy a simple, healthy meal before showering and washing your face before bed. 

You fall asleep quickly, your head full of heroes and ideas for your novel. Your dreams are darker, however, and you turn fitfully as you sleep. When you wake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, you are breathless. You try to fall back asleep, but movement in the corner of your room stops you. You don’t even have time to scream before someone grabs you.

*

It’s cold and it’s dark, but more importantly than anything else, you’re scared. You don’t know where you are. You tentatively call out, “Hello? Is anyone there?”

A guttural sound answers and you shiver. Your back is against a wall and your hands and ankles are bound. You can’t move easily and your breathing starts to quicken as you try to think of how you could escape this. 

“Who are you?” You call out, praying the guttural sound wouldn’t come again. “What do you want with me!?”

“You’re special, (Name),” the voice answers. It’s slow, almost mechanical, and you can’t help but let your imagination run wild as to what the owner of the voice looks like. “Don’t you know that?”

A light switches on somewhere, and you blink your eyes as they adjust. It’s a bit far away from where you’re sitting, but you can still make out the object underneath its glow. A man is sitting on a chair, his elbows on his knees. He raises his head and makes eye contact with you.

Immediately, you understand why the voice sounds mechanical. A glowing purple eye is in the man’s face while the other one seems to be normal. He looks to be half-robot, with his shoulders uneven as one rises far above the other. He stands, and there’s the creaking of metal as he approaches you. 

You whimper as he comes nearer. He stoops so that his multi-colored eyes meet yours and leans in. “You’re special because you can be his downfall.”

_Barry._

“No,” you breathe in shock. “You were the one following us.”

“You’re brighter than I took you for,” the man utters. 

“You’re not,” you retort, courage filling you out of nowhere. “You took me? He’s known me for a couple days. Why not his best friends? Someone who means more?”

It hurts a bit to say, but it has to be true. You’re not the most important person in his life, just like he isn’t the most important in yours. 

Your inner musings are interrupted by a creaky metal laugh. The man stands again, towering over you completely. “You’re the reason I know who he truly is.”

Your heart stops as you realize Barry had been to your apartment as The Flash and as Barry Allen. How had you not realized how stupid you had been? 

Before you have the chance to reply, there is a loud crash and the wall to your left practically disappears. The Flash stands there in the rubble, vibrating in anger. 

“Let her go!”

His voice is angry and powerful, and for a brief moment you are scared of The Flash and his power. He lunged to the metal man, and a fight ensues. You can’t make a noise out of your fear and you pray Barry will win. 

The mechanic man roars and charges to The Flash, who easily sidesteps it and delivers a blow from behind. The man crashes to his knees, and Barry takes a second to look towards you. A flash of concern crosses his face before returning his attention back to the man in front of him.

There is a bright flash of light, almost purple, and Barry goes flying towards the other side of the room. You gasp in shock and the man turns back to you. His right hand is glowing with a purple glow and you recoil away from him as much as you can. 

Before he could even move towards you, Barry stops him and flips him over his shoulder. He crashes down, shaking the entire room. While he is dazed, Barry runs to you and scoops you up in his arms before disappearing from the room. 

You can hear Barry yelling, probably to Cisco, but you don’t try to understand what he’s saying. You lean your head against his shoulder as much as you can and let the darkness overtake you. 

*

When you wake, you’re in a hospital bed with a warm blanket draped over you. You look around and take in the circular room you’re in with wide eyes. You’re tired of waking up and not realizing where you are. 

“You’re awake,” a familiar voice says with obvious relief. 

You turn towards it and see Barry in his regular clothes. His brows are furrowed and he reaches for your hand. “I’m so sorry that this happened to you,” he whispers. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

Before you can reply, a beautiful brunette enters the room and smiles tightly at you. “Hello, I’m Dr. Caitlin Snow. I checked your vitals and you seem to be okay, just a little dehydrated.”

Barry blurs and is back with a bottle of water before you even realize you’re thirsty. You take the bottle from him, whispering your thanks, and take a sip. The doctor leaves the room and you’re alone with Barry once more.

“(Name), I’m so sorry,” he says again. “I couldn’t keep you safe. I failed you.”

“No, you didn’t,” you tell him, sitting up a little. “You saved me from him before he could do anything.”

Barry looks away from you. He is obviously upset, frustrated with himself for not keeping you from danger. He knew this could happen, but he still took the risk and told you who he was. He wanted to, and he still didn’t regret it. 

“You could have died,” he murmurs. “You could have gotten hurt.”

“But you stopped that from happening,” you say, grabbing his hand. “You saved my life. I am okay because you saved me. I’m here, with you, safe.”

“You’re right about being safe with him!” Cisco calls as he enters the room. “I looked over your apartment. It was pretty secure, but Purple Peril still got in. Your best bet is to stay here until this either blows over or he’s taken care of.”

“(Name)? What do you think?” Barry asks you. 

As much as you like your apartment, you know that it would be a long time before you felt safe in it. You nod and agree to stay at STAR Labs until the man is taken care of. Barry looks relieved and immediately starts asking if you need anything from your apartment. 

You give him a list and he runs away. Cisco hovers a couple feet away, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “(Name)?”

“Yeah, Cisco? What’s up?” You inquire. 

“You make Barry very happy, and he really cares about you,” he says quickly. “I’m telling you only because I care about him and I don’t want him getting hurt.”

“However he feels about me, Cisco, I promise I feel the same,” you answer honestly. 

You and Cisco didn’t know that his com was on, and Barry heard every word. He smiles as he runs, looking forward to the amount of time you’ll spend together as he protects you from any and all danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to make every chapter longer and longer! And thank you for reading!


	4. Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More is revealed about Purple Peril, you and Barry's relationship, and...your abilities?

Chapter Four

You’ve been living at STAR Labs for almost a week now. Barry, the sweetheart he is, had gone to your apartment and packed everything you needed with his super speed and brought it back for you, neatly organized. He had forgotten a few _things_ you needed and Caitlin went with you to collect what you wanted to get. 

Barry, Caitlin, and Cisco had been working around the clock trying to figure out more about Purple Peril as Cisco liked to call him. Each day, they seemed to find out more and more about him. Only a few days ago, Caitlin had discovered an article about a Dr. Flux who had been working in his lab on robotics when the reactor had gone off. Cisco and Barry immediately made a bet on whether or not that was Purple Peril. 

You liked being in STAR Labs with Barry and his friends—they made you laugh and feel like a part of their little family. 

But what you liked most of all were you and Barry’s walks around the Lab. The first day you had been here, he declared he was going to give you the best tour that had ever been given in the lab. You believed him, and went on a tour that lasted an hour (even though it should have only taken twenty minutes). 

As you spent more and more time with Barry, your crush on him grew more and more. He was so protective of you, yet so sweet, you couldn’t help but begin to fall for him. He stayed at the lab with you some nights (in different beds, he _was_ a gentleman), making sure that if you did have any nightmares, he would wake you and try to make you laugh and forget about your fear. 

He was such a hero. You saw how good he was, through and through, and knew you were trouble the way your heart skipped a beat every time he smiled at you. But you were okay with this type of trouble. 

You break out of your reverie when Caitlin yells at Cisco. You had started to work in their main area, where they watch Barry on monitors and help him save the world. You had your own desk, which had some papers you scribbled on and your laptop. You made sure to stay out of their way, they had already been so amazing to let you stay at the lab. 

“Why would you tell him to follow that car? What if there’s something—” Caitlin is cut off from her yelling when Barry shouts “Oh, God!”

You immediately look up from your laptop and turn, facing the monitor and gasping in horror when the man that kidnapped you appears in front of Barry. He had seemingly materialized out of nowhere, catching the speedster off guard. 

The fight begins, and you can’t look away. Barry is fighting hard and fast, but the glowing hand of Purple Peril is more than enough to keep him busy. You can hardly breathe as Barry gets hit by a beam, causing him to yell out in pain. 

“Barry, get out of there!” Caitlin screams urgently. “Now!”

The Flash listens, and is gone from the monitor in a heartbeat. Not soon enough, he comes barreling into the room and collapses as Caitlin’s desk. There is a burn on his shoulder, causing him to hiss as Caitlin tries to soothe him. 

Cisco had disappeared from the room, so Caitlin called for you to help Barry into the infirmary part of the lab. You shift under Barry’s uninjured shoulder and encourage him to lean some of his weight on you. When he does, you hold him up as best as you can and help Caitlin move him. 

Even after a battle, you can’t ignore Barry’s scent. There’s sweat, of course, but there is a distinct smell that is original to the speedster. His body is warm, causing yours to match his body temperature. You can only imagine how amazingly warm he could keep you and your bed on the cold winter nights—oh my god these are not appropriate thoughts! You shake your head and focus on Barry.

Caitlin gets him to sit down, and she begins checking on his wounds. You stand next to him, and are happily surprised when Barry reaches for your hand. You take it, and he winds his fingers through yours. Caitlin smiles at the gesture but doesn’t say anything. 

Barry winces as she applies anti-bacterial gel to the wound. You squeeze his hand, hoping to distract him from Caitlin as she does her job. He smiles at you, understanding your intentions. 

When she finishes, she tells him to keep his arm as still as possible. He has to remain in a sitting position. Barry does so, but moves his good arm so that it is wrapped around your waist. 

Caitlin leaves the room, leaving you alone with the speedster. You can’t see his burn because it’s wrapped. You know he can heal quickly, but the severity of the burn, as Caitlin told him, would take a day or two to completely heal. 

“Does it hurt?” you ask, having never suffered a major injury yourself. You hope it doesn’t hurt too bad.

“Kinda,” he mumbles. He sounds exhausted. “I’ve had worse, but it definitely isn’t fun right now.”

He leans his head against yours and his voice gets even softer. He mumbling now, you can barely hear him. Before you can ask him what he’s saying, a soft snore reaches your ears. He fell asleep, succumbing to his exhaustion. You make yourself very still, not wanting to jostle him or disturb his sleep.

As he sleeps, you think of how much your life has changed in a week. You’ve been given your dream job, met (and kissed!) a superhero, kidnapped, and saved. You had never expected any of this except for your dream job when you decided to move to Central City. 

Before you know it, you’re nodding off as well and join Barry in slumber. Your dreams are light and happy, full of green eyes and flashes of bright light. You can feel yourself smiling in your sleep.

“(Name),” a quiet voice murmurs, waking you up. You open your eyes slowly and see Barry looking down on you. “Wake up, we fell asleep.”

“What time is it?” You ask, enjoying how warm Barry’s body is next to yours. His arm is still around you and your head is resting on his shoulder. 

“Ironically, bedtime,” he chuckles, starting to move his injured arm before grunting in pain. You look at him with alarm. He hisses in pain before saying, “I was going to move a strand of your hair behind your ear and try to be romantic but I forgot about the burn.”

You smile at him endearingly at his thought. Instead of brushing the hair behind your ear, he leaves forward—once again, slowly enough for you to stop him if you wanted to—and brushes his lips against yours. You kiss him back, humming softly. Kissing Barry Allen is one of your favorite things now.

“Get a room!” Cisco says in shock when he walks in on your kiss. You two break apart at the interruption and Barry makes another noise as the surprise jostles his injured arm. 

“Technically we had the room until you came in,” Barry retorts good-naturedly. 

“I didn’t want to see that as much as you didn’t want to stop,” Cisco replies. “But you need to see this. (Name), you too.”

You follow the technological genius into the main area where Caitlin is typing away at the computer. There’s security footage running on the monitor, depicting an intersection with a car crash. The people from the two cars seem to be fine, walking around and exchanging information.

It looks like a normal accident, until another person appeared in the frame. You recognize him immediately as the man who had kidnapped you and hurt Barry. Purple Peril approaches the people in the car accident, and Barry tenses beside you. You can tell he wants to run out there and help them. 

“Barry, no,” you whisper to him. He looks down, surprised. To be honest, you were also shocked that you just told him not to do his job. “You’re hurt, and if you go out there, you might get hurt more and those people might be in bigger trouble.”

“(Name)’s right, Barry,” Caitlin says, frowning. “Call Joe, tell him exactly where they are, and—”

“They might not be fast enough!” Barry says, stepping away from you. You bit your lip, trying not to feel hurt. “They need me—”

“They don’t need you when you’re hurt and unable to fight him,” Cisco cuts in. “I know you want to help them, but I don’t think you can right now.”

Barry frowns deeper, obviously frustrated with the situation. He knew, deep down, that you all were right, but he didn’t want to admit it. He just wanted to save everyone he could, but you were right. He could put the people in more danger by not being able to protect them, or himself from Purple Peril.

He slumps down into a chair beside Caitlin, leaving you to stand a bit awkwardly by Cisco. You knew he wasn’t mad at you, but at his injury. But his slight dismissal still stung, but you tried to ignore it. 

You look back to the monitor, and are surprised to see Purple Peril leaving the frame, leaving the people alone. Cisco says something positive, but you can’t hear it because you focus closer, watching how the people are moving. They are slow, almost…robotic. 

Caitlin seems to have noticed it too, pushing her face closer to the screen of her computer. She looks to the guys, who haven’t noticed it, but then sees you, and knows you see it too. You frown as she does. 

“They shouldn’t be moving like that,” you say, pointing it out to the others. “They were faster before, but now they’re moving differently. Every single one of them.”

“It’s like they’re robots,” Cisco says. “Wait, (Name), didn’t you mention Purple Peril had a lot of metal parts on his body?”

You nod, biting your lip again. You have a really weird feeling about this. “When he moved, it creaked like metal. It was weird, like when a pipe is hitting another pipe.”

One of the people on the monitor turns to face where the security camera is angled. The eyes of the man are glowing, bright enough to be seen through the lens of the camera. They’re glowing purple.

“Oh, this just got so much worse,” Barry breathes. 

After a brief debate about what you should do to help the people, you go back to your makeshift room. As you sit down on the bed, you notice your laptop on the edge. You grab it, and open it to see the last document you had been working on. It was notes about what could potentially happen in your novel. 

You reread what you had written, and clap your hand over your mouth in shock. No wonder you had that weird feeling earlier! You read it again, making sure you were right in your suspicions.

_Evil character has some sort of power of light that can be weaponized like a laser…maybe he hurts the hero? And perhaps the evil character has the ability to posses innocent civilians, could he use this against the hero?_

Oh, my god. You predicted what was going to happen. Barry got injured by the light of Purple Peril, and it looks like he can posses innocent people when he wants to. There is such a low chance of this happening, you begin to worry. 

Should you tell Barry? You know they want to help the meta-humans, as they call them, but none of these meta-humans can be found outside of the pipeline once they take care of them. They wouldn’t do the same to you, right?

You decide to keep it to yourself, considering what might happen to you if you do tell them that you predicted exactly what was going to happen. You shut off your laptop, and try to go to sleep. You drift off, thinking of being locked away and Barry walking away from you, leaving you alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Nothing but love. ALSO there will be more Barry fluff in the next chapter. I wanted this one to be the base for everything, but there is a lot of Barry love coming up!


	5. Declarations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry has a question for you and you already know the answer!

Chapter Five  
Declarations

You wake slowly, blinking as you break away from the cusp of sleep. Your dreams had been dark and you are left with lingering paranoia as you get dressed for the day. Slipping into jeans and your favorite sweater, you start to head to the break room of the lab where you can get your breakfast.

Before you leave your room, your laptop catches your eye. While it is in the same place as you had left it last night, it was laying open instead of closed. You tap a key and the machine hums to life, displaying the same document as the night before. However, there is more writing to it now.

_Evil character has some sort of power of light that can be weaponized like a laser…maybe he hurts the hero? And perhaps the evil character has the ability to posses innocent civilians, could he use this against the hero? The hero will heal, but when they face off for the final battle, someone will lose their ability that grants them power._

You reread the last sentence carefully. Not only had it not been there last night, but it was deeply cryptic and not in Barry’s obvious favor. What if it meant he would lose his powers? You saw how upset Barry was yesterday when he wasn’t able to help those people. You can’t imagine how distraught he would be if he lost his super speed. 

A knock on your door interrupts your thoughts and you slam your laptop shut as Barry enters the room. He gives a look of surprise at the force of you closing your computer and gives a small chuckle. 

“What did it ever do to you?” Barry teases, tilting his head to the side. 

You laugh along and shake your head, ignoring his question. “What’s for breakfast?” You inquire, motioning for Barry to leave the room and you to follow. 

“I may have already finished all of the bagels Cisco brought in…” he says regretfully. “But, I will be willing to take you for a breakfast date!”

“That sounds perfect,” you say, forgetting your troubles that had plagued you only moments before. “How are we getting there?”

Your stomach gives a growl, signaling your hunger. 

“The faster the better, I assume,” he jokes, scooping you up into his arms. He must be feeling better, which makes you happy. Before you can protest, you’re dashing out of the lab and towards Jitters, home of the best coffee and breakfast food in Central City. 

Discreetly, Barry stops running once he reaches the alley behind Jitters. Since he’s not in his uniform, he can’t be seen speeding around. He gently sets you down and reaches to take your hand as you round the corner towards the cafe. His hand is warm and you can’t stop smiling. 

Barry holds the door open for you and as you enter, you notice an extremely beautiful woman smile when she sees you and Barry. A small bubble of jealousy comes up, and you try to squash it. 

“Barry!” The woman calls, and the bubble grows despite your attempts to qualm it. 

“Iris!” Barry smiles, moving past you to embrace the woman. “I haven’t seen you in a while, how are you doing?”

You wait to be introduced while the two of them catch up. After a couple seconds, Barry turns to you and introduces you to Iris West. At the mention of her last name, you smile widely and speak highly of her father. 

“Yeah, he’s told me about you! When I heard Barry asked you out on a date right after meeting you, I knew I had to meet you,” she smiles, hugging you. You hug her back and the jealousy dissolves effortlessly. 

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” you say, and Barry grins. He’s obviously happy that the two of you are getting along great.

After getting to know each other for a while, Barry excuses the two of you and you find a table by the back of the cafe. It’s secluded and intimate. He orders breakfast for you, already knowing what you like after your breakfast choices in the lab over the past week.

When he returns with the food, your mouth begins to water. He notices how happy you are to see the food and chuckles, jokingly removing it from the table so that you couldn’t eat it.

“Hey, that’s not funny!” You exclaim, reaching for the breakfast. “You know how hungry I am!”

“And I think you’re cute when you’re hungry,” Barry says, and then pauses after he realized what he’s said. 

“And I think you’re cute when you give me my food,” you answer, a blush dusting your cheeks as you flirt back. It has the desired effect and your breakfast muffin is in front of you with super speed. You smile at him.

As you dig in, Barry continues asking questions that he didn’t get to ask on your first date, and you forget he’s The Flash and you forget you predicted everything that would happen to him. It’s just you and a guy you really care about. It’s easy, it’s simple, and there is a familiar feeling surrounding you. 

Is this what love feels like?

“(Name),” Barry says, getting your attention. “I really care about you.”

_Is he a mindreader, too?_

“I wanted to ask you if you would be my girlfriend?” His expression is bashful and happy at the same time. He’s obviously nervous and you feel a twinge of happiness at you being the cause of the superhero’s nerves. 

“Yes, Barry, yes!” You say happily, reaching across the table to take his hand. “I would love that more than anything.”

He leans forward and you brush your lips against his and it’s amazing. Somehow this is better than your first kiss and any other kiss you’ve ever had. This is what the real deal feels like.

*

You return to the lab hand in hand and giggling. Caitlin and Cisco smile at the two of you when you enter, and you know they knew what he was going to ask you. You don’t mind, you’re just happy that they support you and Barry with all of their hearts. 

“I take it that you’re feeling better?” Caitlin chuckles, nodding to Barry’s arm that used to be injured that has moved to around your shoulder.

“Yep, nothing like a great night of sleep,” he replies easily, which reminds you of the weird sentence you found on your laptop this morning. Your shoulders fall in response, and Barry notices. 

He shoots you a concerned look and you smile weakly at him, making some excuse about needing to get work done. Unfortunately it wasn’t a lie—you only had a couple of days left to finish writing the first three chapters for your editor. You leave the room and your boyfriend (!) to go to your room. 

You sit at the desk, and start writing. You manage to get a chapter and a half done before you switch back to the other document. You reread it, and bit your lip nervously. It was such an ominous sentence that had somehow been written between last night and this morning. 

_The hero will heal, but when they face off for the final battle, someone will lose their ability that grants them power._

The hero, Barry, has healed. That much has come true. But the final battle has yet to happen. Purple Peril is still out there, and so are the civilians that were possessed by him last night. They need to be rescued, and Barry is going to be the one to do it. But what if he is the one who loses their powers?

You close the document, worried that that would be the only thing you would think about for the rest of the day unless you get more work done. You finish the second chapter a few hours later and return to the main room of the lab where Barry is running on a treadmill.

He looks _good_. He’s wearing grey sweatpants and a loose shirt that doesn’t hide his muscles as he sprints. Cisco is tweaking some knobs on his control panel while Caitlin is analyzing Barry’s statistics, making a note here and there. 

You find an empty seat next to Cisco and he smiles at you in greeting. “Did you get your work done?”

“Most of it.” You nod and watch your boyfriend (wow, you don’t think you’ll ever get over that) do his thing. 

Barry finally notices you’re in the lab and smiles broadly at you. You tilt your head to the side and return his grin. He picks up his speed and starts pushing himself. You think it’s to impress you, and to be honest, it’s working.

“Quit showing off,” Caitlin warns. “You aren’t fully healed yet.”

Barry chuckles and obediently slows down. He hops off the treadmill a moment later and grabs some water. After that, he impressively eats four hamburgers from the joint down the street. You remember how much he had to eat at breakfast and know it’s because of his metabolism. 

Caitlin is talking to him about some of the stats she took but Barry keeps glancing over at you and smiling, flirting with you from across the room. You struggle to keep your conversation going with Cisco, it’s a bit hard for you since The Flash is flirting with you so heavily. 

“I give up,” Caitlin sighs, and she tugs on Cisco’s shirt sleeve. They exit the room and leave the two of you together. 

“Hi,” Barry says as soon as you’re alone. You roll your eyes and greet him. “Come here often?”

“You’re such a goofball!” You exclaim. “I can’t believe you used that line!”

“I had to try—” 

Barry is cut off when Caitlin comes back into the room. She looks frazzled, so unlike she did when she left just moments ago. Barry looks at her questioningly and she frowns deeply. 

“The people that were possessed last night,” she says. “They were found by Joe West a couple minutes ago. They don’t remember anything.”

“So they’re not hurt?” Barry asks, taking a step towards her. 

“No, thank God,” she answers. “But one of them said that Purple Peril said something before his eyes went, well, purple.”

“What did he say?” You ask. 

“He said something about a prophet,” she replies. “But that doesn’t make any sense. We don’t know of any meta-humans with the ability to predict the future.”

_Oh, no._

Cisco comes in, staring at something on his tablet. “Barry, Purple Peril was just seen in the downtown area! If you go now, you might be able to get him—” 

He is cut off when you make a small noise of regret. You capture all three of their attentions immediately. “I…I have to tell you guys something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit shorter than normal, but all the Barry fluff I could think of! The next chapter will be the last and I'm so excited for the finale!  
> Thank you so much for reading :)


	6. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all comes together. It's now or never. You're here to make sure it's now, so that this can never happen again.

Chapter Six  
The End

“What do you have to tell us?” Barry asks, moving so that he can put a reassuring hand on your shoulder. You feel guilty; once you tell him everything he won’t feel the same. 

Taking a deep breath, you tell them everything. The document, the predictions, how they all came true. The hardest part was telling them the last sentence and how at the final fight, someone will lose their powers. 

“Well, Barry lost his powers once, right? They came back,” Caitlin points out. 

“That was because of the meta-human,” Barry counters. “I don’t think this would be the same.”

Caitlin frowns and Cisco is tapping his chin, obviously trying to think of what could be done. Your nervous habit of biting your lip comes back in full force. Barry, as you had assumed, has removed his hand from your shoulder and is pacing back and force through the lab. 

“Wait,” Cisco says, stilling his finger over his lip. “The witness said something about the Prophet, right? (Name), what if that’s you?”

You furrow your brows in confusion. Barry has stopped his pacing and Caitlin is looking at you, the gears turning in her head. 

“Where were you on the night of the reactor?” she asks. 

“I don’t know, what date was that?”

Caitlin tells you the date, and you try to think of where you were. You pull out your phone and check the calendar, scrolling back almost a year. You find that you were traveling by train on that day. You tell them so, and Cisco murmurs something. 

“What were you doing on the train?” he inquires. “Anything in particular? Were you reading a book?”

“Yeah, actually,” you say, thinking back to the memory. “It was about a person who had powers, like they could see the future.”

“It’s a stretch, but that might be how you came across this ability,” Caitlin muses. “It’s the only way. But how would he know who you were?”

“When he took me…he said I was special.”

Judging by the reactions of Barry, Caitlin, and Cisco, you hadn’t told them this information before. You continue with the story, how Purple Peril had told you that you were the reason that he knew who The Flash’s real identity was. 

You had assumed that he knew from you going on a date with Barry Allen in public and he had followed you in the park. But why was he following you guys? He didn’t know Barry was the Flash before, only after he was ran you guys out of the park and out of danger. 

He was following you! That’s how he knew who The Flash was. Because he was already looking into you. 

“Oh, my God,” you breathe aloud. 

You explain your thought process to everyone in the room and Cisco nods. 

“That makes sense,” he agrees. “I have an idea, and I’m not sure if you guys are going to like it.”

He goes through the plan, and after convincing Barry, you all agree. Barry runs ahead, finding Purple Peril easily. Through the com system Cisco established, Barry reports to you guys in the van exactly where to find them. When the van arrives on the scene, Barry is already fighting the man. 

The van pulls to a stop on the side of the road just in time for you to see Barry narrowly avoid a laser from the villain’s hands. You cover your mouth with your hand, not wanting to see your boyfriend get hurt. 

“(Name), you know what you have to do,” Caitlin murmurs from next to you. “I know it might be scary, but Barry knows what you’re doing and he will protect you.”

You gather your nerves, and open the door to the van. You slide out quietly, closing the door behind you after Cisco and Caitlin wished you luck. In front of you, Barry is punching Purple Peril in the gut before running away in time to avoid the laser shooting towards where he used to be. 

Barry turns his head, seeing where you are, and zips to your side. Wrapping his arms around you, he runs in front of the villain and stops. You are face to face with your kidnapper. 

“I know something you don’t know,” you taunt. As soon as you’re done speaking, Barry once again runs away from Purple Peril with you by his side. He stops behind a building almost a block away, drops you gently to the ground, and then goes back to the fight. 

It had taken a lot of convincing for Barry to be okay with this plan. He, of course, wants to protect you from any and all danger. When Cisco had mentioned placing you as close to danger as humanly possible, Barry had almost left the room to fight Purple Peril all by himself. You had told Barry that you trust him completely, that the only way you would ever go along with a plan like this would be if he were the one able to protect you.

And now, the plan to taunt Purple Peril with the Prophet in order to distract him enough so that Barry could detain him is in full effect. Cisco had been so proud of his plan, so proud that Barry knew it would work. 

Every few moments, after landing a few punches on the villain, Barry would run back and hold you under his nose. You would say something cryptic, implying that you knew the end result of the battle, how Purple Peril would lose, and in his frustration, the villain would let his guard down and Barry would be able to land a few more hits on his frame.

Cisco and Caitlin keep communication through the coms, and the second step of the plan is almost in action. 

Cisco is supposed to turn on the microphone that’s in the van and broadcast the “prophecy” that you had written. While he is doing so, Barry is to come in and deliver the final blow, effectively getting rid of Purple Peril and the threat he poses. 

As the microphone squeals, signaling that it’s just been turned on, you peek around the corner of the building Barry had you hide behind. In doing so, your foot accidentally jostles a glass bottle that was littered earlier. It clatters loudly against the sidewalk and Purple Peril turns around and glares in your direction. 

Barry sees this, and pulls you into his arms in no time, running from behind the villain. Before you have time to fully realize what’s happening, you are behind Purple Peril and safe from his hands. 

However, the villain had planned for this. He shoots his hand behind him, still looking at the spot where you used to hide, and shoots the laser right at Barry. In his haste to get you away from him, Barry had turned his back to him. He didn’t see the laser coming. 

But you did. 

“Barry, move!” you scream, using your strength to push Barry out of harm’s way. His mouth opens in surprise as you close your eyes, trying to ignore the purple light shooting your way. 

*

When you wake, your entire body is sore. Your mouth is dry and you have the worst headache you have ever had in your entire life. Not knowing where you are, you try to open your eyes. The lights are too bright, and you are forced to close your eyes once more. You try to speak, and a scratchy noise escapes your throat instead.

A hand grasps yours, surprising you, and you instinctively move your hand closer to your body and away from the stimulus. 

“Hey,” Barry’s voice reaches your ears. It sounds far away, but you’re guessing your boyfriend is right next to you. “How do you feel?”

“Nhhf,” you manage, and you hope he realizes you’re trying to say, ‘I’m in physical pain but I’m obviously alive so I’m okay with this’.

“You saved my life,” he says quietly. “I don’t know if you’re totally awake right now, you’ve been drifting in and out for a couple days now. But if you’re awake, I just wanted to thank you. You saved me, you saved Cisco and Caitlin, and you helped stop him.

“I didn’t want you to be a part of this plan, but you insisted, and I don’t think we could have done it without you,” he continues. “When you took the blast, somehow you absorbed it and deflected it back on Peril. He took the blast and just…dissolved. He’s gone. But you’re not, and that’s what matters.

“You’re so important to me, (Name), and I didn’t tell you before you were almost lost and…”

His voice cracks. 

“I…I love you, and it took almost losing you to realize it, and I know I’ll never take you for granted ever again, I just want you to wake up,” he says, his hand returning to yours. You don’t move your hand this time. “God, (Name), I just want you to wake up so I can tell you how much I love you and how I’m never leaving your side again.”

You want to answer him, you do, but you can’t move. A long time passes before his hand moves from yours and you hear his footsteps departing. You try your hardest to move or make any noise, but the ability escapes you.

You just want to tell him how much you love him. 

More time passes, and sleep claims you. You don’t remember your dreams when you wake, and you’re glad that you don’t. Given the past couple events, they might not have been the best dreams to remember. 

In the morning, you are able to move. You open your eyes, and the lights aren’t as bright as they were the last time you did. Looking around, you’re in the infirmary part of the lab. You’re alone. 

Slowly but surely, you’re able to shift your weight and leave the bed you used to inhabit for days on end. Moving like molasses, you make your way through the empty lab. Your body clock tells you that it’s morning, so everyone should be gathered in the main area of the lab.

You hear their voices before you see them.

“(Name)'s going to be fine!” That was Cisco. “I don’t know how, but she literally didn’t have any server damage done to her body.”

“Yeah, it’s a kind a of a miracle, actually,” Caitlin replies. “The only thing I can think of that would cause that would be if her powers were given up in exchange?”

“She did say that someone would lose their powers,” Cisco adds. “Peril lost his life, sure, but maybe (Name) was the one to lose their abilities.”

“I don’t care about that,” you hear Barry say. “I just want her to be alright.”

“Give it a few more days, she’ll wake up,” Caitlin says, trying to soothe the speedster. “In fact, maybe you should go check on her.”

Barry rounds the corner quickly, but stops hard when he sees you. His first expression is concern, but when you smile at him, it changes to one of affection. Barry wraps you gently in his arms, laying his head on top of yours. You try to stop the tears from coming, but they’re too strong. You wrap your arms around him and enjoy the feeling of being loved. 

“I love you, too, Barry,” you whisper. 

He hugs you harder—but not enough to hurt you—to show he knows he heard you. “I love you.”

Epilogue

A month later, you are fully healed. You moved in with Barry, and you write for a living instead of trying to predict the future. You did end up losing your powers after all, but it was a great trade for being able to spend the rest of your life with Barry Allen. Your book is a few months away from being published. 

Barry couldn’t be prouder. 

Once a month, you plan to return to the restaurant of your first date and you can’t wait for the future you two have planned. 

A year later, you’re engaged. 

After planning the perfect wedding, you marry Barry Allen on August fourteenth. 

Two amazing years of marriage fly by. You have a beautiful baby boy with Barry, named Joe. A year later, a baby girl is named after Barry’s mother.

You can’t imagine a life without him. Every now and then, you joke about the writer’s block that brought you together. Your book has been on the best seller’s list for the past year. After Barry suggesting that the hero look like him, you made it a reality. Bartholomew was the star of your novel, going by the name Bart.

It’s the best inside joke yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AW I'm sad this is over. I'm gonna write more!! Thanks for reading :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, you're amazing!


End file.
